Vacuum lifter tool



Nov. 23, 1965 B. ALLEN VACUUM LIFTER TOOL Filed March 28, 1962 YIIIV United States Patent Oii dce 3,219,377 Patented Nov. 23, 1965 3,219,377 VACUUM LIFTER T001. Benigene Allen, 1197 Rhonda St., Portage, Ind. Filed Mar. 28, 1962, Ser. No. 183,263 8 Claims. (Cl. 294-19) The subject invention relates generally to tools and has to do with a safety device, generally referred to as a vacuum lifter, which is adapted to lift a component from one position to another.

More particularly, the structure embodying the invention includes a pair of valved vacuum cups which are carried by an elongate supporting device which can be manipulated to press the cups against a component with sufiicient force to effect a suction connection with the component so that it can be conveniently lifted or shifted to a resired location or position, such as into a die in order that the hand or hands of an operator can be kept free of the die as a safety factor. The lever can also be utilized in stacking and unstacking piles of various kinds of sheet material.

The device may be designed and constructed in various ways but as disclosed herein, it preferably comprises an elongate support having a fore extremity provided with a pivotal cross-member having a pair of vacuum cups connected to the ends thereof and a rear extremity provided with a handle. The device also includes an elongate lever movably mounted on the support with one end thereof being located adjacent the handle of the support for convenience in operating the lever, and its opposite or fore end being provided with a pivotal valve for normally closing or opening vents or passages in the cups to respectively maintain or break the suction in the cups. Otherwise expressed, suction may be maintained to hold a component to the cups or the component can be readily released by merely pivoting the lever to disengage the valve from the cups to open the passages.

A significant object of the invention is to provide a novel adjustable means on the device whereby the crossmember and vacuum cups as a unit can be locked or held in any one of a plurality of three positions. More specifically, provision is made whereby the cross-member can be locked in a position substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the device, or may be unlocked for adjustment along with the valve to either of two operative oblique angular positions with respect to such axis, including means for resiliently holding the same in either of such oblique positions. In the particular organization shown the locking element holds the valve in a locked position and the valve in turn holds the cross-member in a locked position.

A specific object of the invention is to provide means for maintaining the valve in a normally closed engaging position with the cups until it is automatically disengaged therefrom by an excess of compressed air when the device is swung to effect a hard driving contact of the cups with the component to be lifted.

Also, an object is to provide means for maintaining the locking element in a normally locked position.

Another object of the invention is to construct the support and lever in the form of channels and provide the channels with a multiplicity of openings to reduce the overall weight of the device.

A further object is to provide a novel handle structure and method of making the same.

Other objects of the invention reside in providing a device which offers advantages with respect to operation, manufacture and assembly, and durability.

Additional objects an advantages of the invention will become apparent after the description hereinafter set forth is considered in conjunction with the drawings annexed hereto which disclose a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a top view of the device;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the device, with portion in section to illustrate structural details;

FIGURE 3 is an end elevational View of the device;

FIGURE 4 is a transverse or vertical section taken substantially on line 4 4 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical section taken substantially on line 5 5 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 6 illustrates one of two oblique positions to which the cross-member, cups and valve as a unit may be adjusted.

Referring generally to the several drawings, the device comprises, among other things, an elongate support or wand generally designated 1 provided with a cross-member 2. carrying a pair of vacuum cups 3 having vents or axial passages 4 therein, a lever generally designated 5 pivotally connected to the support, and a valve plate 6 carried by the lever for manipulation by the lever for opening and closing the passages.

The support 1 may be designed and constructed in various way, but as depicted in the drawings it is straight and preferably of channel shape throughout most of its length to provide a base wall 7 and corresponding upturned side walls 8. The support has a rear extremity which is formed by overturning portion 9 of the side walls onto the base wall and thereafter cutting notches 10 in the sides of this extremity, as depicted in FIGURES 1 and 2, to provide a relatively thick and strong handle whereby to facilitate gripping thereof. The fore extremity of the support is provided with an aperture 11.

The cross-member 2 is preferably elongate and angle shaped in cross-section to provide a bottom planar wall 12 having a center aperture 13 therein and an upturned front planar wall 14 or abutment. A pivot stud 15 extends through the aperture 11 in the support and the aperture 13 to pivotally connect the cross-member to the support. The ends of the bottom wall 12 of the cross-member are provided with round openings 16, the marginal edges delining the same being received in annular grooves 17 provided in upper conical portions of the vacuum cups for detachably but firmly securing the cups in place. Each of the cups is provided with an axial passage 4 as stated above.

The lever generally designated 5 is similarly of channel cross-section throughout most of its length to form an upper planar wall 18 and a pair of depending planar side walls 19 which lit between the side walls of the support for guidance thereby when a pivot 20 is extended through aligned apertures provided therefor in the side walls of the support and lever. The lever is somewhat shorter in length than the length of the support and preferably has a straight fore extremity extending forwardly of the pivot 20 and a rear extremity which is angled upwardly in an offset relative to the fore extremity for disposition above the handle of the support for convenient manipulation by a digit of the hand when the handle is gripped by an operator.

The fore extremity of the lever is provided with a hole 21 and a pair of downturned walls or abutments 22 and the valve plate 6, above referred to, is elongate and provided with a center hole 23 and a notch or abutment means 24 intersecting its rear edge. A pivot stud 25 extends through the holes 21 and 23 for pivotally connecting the plate on the lever. Resilient means, preferably in the form of a helical spring 26, is interposed between the rear extremities of the support and lever, with its ends caught on inturned lugs 27 struck from the support and lever for forcing the ends of the valve plate in engagement with the cups to maintain the passages therein normally closed and the rear extremity of the lever in an elevated position above the handle for convenient manipulation.

The means employed for detachably locking and adjusting the cross-member Iand valve with respect to the support and lever will now be described. The lever 5 is also provided with an aperture 28 in its upper wall 18 between the pivot and pivot stud 25. A locking element 29 is provided with an aperture 3). and a pivot rivet 3l extends through these apertures for pivotally securing this locking element to the lever. A compression spring 32 preferably surrounds the rivet and is located between the locking element 29 and an annular shoulder 33 on the rivet for biasing the element against the lever and assisting in stabilizing the position of the element and its cooperation with the notch 24 in the valve. The locking element can be readily lifted upwardly against the force of the spring to disengage the element from the notch or abutment means 24 and a spring or equivalent holding device 34 has one end connected to the rivet and a free end having `a hook 35 which can be inserted into an aperture 36 provided in the valve for holding the cross-member and valve in the oblique :angular position by fastening the hook in an aperture 3'7 provided in the valve.

The element can be manually swung to the position in FIGURE 6 or to a reverse position irrespective of whether the spring 34 is connected to the aperture 36 or 37. After the element is moved laterally with respect to either side of the support and lever, the compression spring will automatically detain the element in the position to which it has been adjusted.

In view of the foregoing, it will be manifest that when the locking element is engaged with the notch or abutment means 24 of the valve the latter will be locked in a position transverse to or at right angles to the length of the device as depicted in FIGURES 1 and 2. When so held its downturned walls or abutments 22 will be located in close opposed relation to the upturned wall or abutment 14 of the support as evidenced in FIGURE 2 and thereby in turn hold or lock the cross-member in a corresponding transverse or right angular position. When an operator desires to adjust the cross-member and plate as a unit, the locking element is lifted to disengage it from the notch or abutment means 24 and then swung laterally, as stated above, whereupon the valve and cross-member as a unit can be moved and detained in either of the oblique angular positions by performing the adjustments yabove referred to. With this unique organization, the locking element serves to lock or limit pivotal movement of the valve and the valve through its cooperation with the cross-member holds or limits pivotal movement of the cross-member and cups carried thereby. Adjustment or swivelling of the cross-member and valve to either of the oblique angular positions has proven most efcient when an operator is -using a device in each hand to manipulate various components.

In operating the device, it is manually swung to drive the cups into intimate contact with a surface of a component to momentarily expel -air out of the cups through the passages to automatically disengage the valve from the cups, whereupon the force exerted by the spring 26 will automatically cause reengagement of the valve with the cups to close their passages to obtain what may be termed vacuum connections between the device and component whereby the component may be lifted or shifted to a desired location and then released by merely pressing down on the rear extremity of the lever to vent the passages in the cups.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that various modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of the invention, and therefore, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts herein shown and described.

I claim:

l. A device lof the kind described comprising an elongate support having a cross-member pivotally connected to one end thereof and a handle at the other end, a pair of vacuum cups respectively secured to said member and provided with axial passages, a lever operatively connected to said support for manipulation, -a valve member pivotally connected to the lever, means for biasing the valve member against the cups to normally close said passages, means for releasably locking the valve member in a position transverse to the length of the device, and means on said cross-member cooperable with said valve member for maintaining said cross-member in a transverse position substantially corresponding to that of said valve member.

2. The device defined in claim 1, including means whereby said cross-member and valve member as a unit can be pivoted and held in an oblique angular position with respect to the longitudinal axis of the device after said locking means is released from said valve member.

3. An assembly for use with an elongate support having a pair of vacuum cups thereon with axial passages therein, said assembly comprising a lever provided with means for pivotally connecting the lever to the support, an elongate valve member pivotally connected to one end of the lever and being engageable with the cups to open and close the passages, and a locking element carried by said lever for adjustment to one position to engage the valve to hold it in :a position substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the lever yand adjustment to another position whereby said valve may be swung to an oblique angular position with respect to said axis.

4. A device of the kind described comprising an elongate support having a cross-member pivotally connected to one end lthereof anda handle at the other end, vacuum cup means carried by said cross-1nember and provided with Vent means, a lever pivotally connected to said support for manipulation, a valve plate pivotally connected to the lever, means for urging the valve plate against the cup means to normally close said vent means, and means for locking the cross-member in a position transverse to the length of the device.

5. The device defined in claim 4, including means whereby said cross-member can be pivoted and held in either of two oblique angular positions with respect to the longitudinal axis of the device after said locking means is released.

6. An assembly comprising .an elongate support having a handle at one extremity whereby to facilitate manipulation of the assembly, a cross-member movably connected to said support and provided with a pair of vacuum cups respectively provided with Vents, a lever pivotally connected to said support at a location intermediate its length and provided with a transverse plate for opening or closing the vents, and means whereby said cross-member and cups as -a unit can be adjusted and held in a position substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal :axis of the support or adjusted and held in an oblique angular position with respect to said axis.

7. The assembly delined in claim 6, in which a locking element serves to hold said cross-member in said substantially perpendicular position and a spring serves to hold the cross-member in said oblique angular position when said locking element is rendered inoperative.

8. A device of lthe kind described comprising an elongate support, a cross-member having a base wall and an upturned wall, means extending through said support and base wall for pivotally connecting said member to said support, vacuum oup means carried by said base wall and provided with vent means, an elongate lever, rneans pivotally connecting said support and said lever at a loofation intermediate their lengths, a valve member having a top wall for closing or opening said vent means and also having a downturned wall, means extending through said lever andfsaid top Wall for pivotally con- 5 6 necting said member to said lever and locating said down- 2,001,286 5/ 1935 Reith 294-12 turned wall in close opposed parallel relation to said 2,341,621 2/1944 Johnson 294 64 upturned Wall of said cross-member so that pivotal move- 3 061 351 10/1962 Johnson 294 64 ment of said valve member will corespondingly pivot said cross-member, abutment means provided on said valve 5 3062578 11/1962 Bushong 294455 member, a locking element adjustably mounted on said FOREIGN PATENTS lever and engageable with said abutment means for locking and unlocking said valve member with respect to said 757,878 1/1934 France.

lever, and means whereby the valve member may be detainedin. a predetermined position when said locking 10 SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner. element 1s 1n a non-locking positlon. LEO QU A CKENBUSH, ERNEST A. FALLER References Cited by the Examiner Examiners.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,006,315 10/1911 Toth 294-64 15 

1. A DEVICE OF THE KIND DESCRIBED COMPRISING AN ELONGATE SUPPORT HAVING A CROSS-MEMBER PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO ONE END THEREOF AND A HANDLE AT THE OTHER END, A PAIR OF VACUUM CUPS RESPECTIVELY SECURED TO SAID MEMBER AND PROVIDED WITH AXIAL PASSAGES, A LEVER OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID SUPPORT FOR MANIPULATION, A VALVE MEMBER PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE LEVER, MEANS FOR BIASING THE VALVE MEMBER AGAINST THE CUPS TO NORMALLY CLOSE SAID PASSAGES, MEANS FOR RELEASABLY LOCKING THE VALVE MEMBER IN A POSITION TRANSVERSE TO THE LENGTH OF THE DEVICE, AND MEANS ON SAID CROSS-MEMBER COOPERABLE WITH SAID VALVE MEMBER FOR MAINTAINING SAID CROSS-MEMBER IN A TRANSVERSE POSITION SUBSTANTIALLY CORRESPONDING TO THAT OF SAID VALVE MEMBER. 